These 150-Calorie Chocolate Zucchini Protein Muffins Taste Like Cupcakes!
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Although zucchini noodles, baked zucchini boats, and grilled zucchini are delicious, sometimes your zucchini wants a sweeter fate. It wants you to grate it up and make these double chocolate protein zucchini muffins.
Bursting with deep luscious chocolatey flavor, you can't taste the zucchini whatsoever. It just makes for a supermoist and delicious muffin that could easily pass as a cupcake if you add a layer of frosting (now there's an idea!).
These double chocolate zucchini muffins are vegan, oil-free, and sweetened with a little bit of coconut sugar and maple syrup. They also contain protein powder, offering almost five grams of protein per muffin, to help you feel full longer.
You can use your food processor to grate a bunch of zucchini at one time. I like to double the recipe since these muffins freeze well. They're perfect if you want to have a small treat on hand without having to take the time to bake a whole batch. I also like to use my food processor to grate the zucchini in big batches, and if I'm not using it all, I freeze it in one-cup servings for later baking.
Double Chocolate Zucchini Protein Muffins
Jenny Sugar, From POPSUGAR
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxmeal
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 1/4 cups unsweetened soy milk (or any nondairy milk)
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour
- 1/2 cup plant-based protein powder (I used 1 serving of Vega Sport Vanilla or sub with flour)
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or organic sugar)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips (I used Trader Joe's; reserve a few to sprinkle on top)
- 1 1/4 cups grated zucchini (about 1/2 medium; squeeze out the excess liquid)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 °F. Lightly spray a muffin tin with oil.
In a small bowl, mix the flax meal and water, and set aside to thicken.
To make vegan buttermilk, in a medium bowl, mix the soy milk with the apple cider vinegar, and set aside to curdle.
In a large bowl, mix together the white whole-wheat flour, protein powder, coconut sugar, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
Mix the flax/water mixture in with the milk/vinegar mixture. Stir in the maple syrup and vanilla.
Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients, and mix until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips (saving a few to sprinkle on top) and grated zucchini.
Distribute the batter into the prepared muffin tin, using about a heaping one-third cup per muffin. Sprinkle with a few of the reserved chocolate chips.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Allow to cool for a few minutes in the pan, then move to a cooling rack.
Enjoy right away, or store in a glass container in the fridge.